


Stay

by lostnoise



Series: Tumblr/Twitter Ficlet Roundup [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Billy Hargrove Is Bad at Feelings, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Post-Battle of Starcourt (Stranger Things), Post-Canon, Recovery, Steve Harrington Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-18 05:01:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29112705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostnoise/pseuds/lostnoise
Summary: Billy refuses to be kept in the hospital post Starcourt and Max helps break him out and they smuggle him to Steve’s house where they bully their way into letting Billy stay, and Billy still gives Steve a load of shit every day while Steve works his shifts at Family Video.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Series: Tumblr/Twitter Ficlet Roundup [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2136072
Comments: 1
Kudos: 63





	Stay

Billy refuses to be kept in the hospital post Starcourt and Max helps break him out and they smuggle him to Steve’s house where they bully their way into letting Billy stay, and Billy still gives Steve a load of shit every day while Steve works his shifts at Family Video.

And then slowly, Billy comes to find out that Steve works his ass off. And that he doesn’t sleep very much. One time, when Billy’s nightmares overwhelm him, he walks into the kitchen to make a cup of tea and finds Steve in the living room with the nail bat in his lap.

Just staring out the window, eyes flicking everywhere, and then he jumps up with the bat brandished in his hands, ready to swing, when Billy’s footfalls cause a creak in the wood flooring. His eyes are wild and dark and he doesn’t look like the milquetoast prep from high school.

It changes his perspective on Steve. Like, Billy knows that Steve knows about the Upside Down shit. That much was obvious when Max took him to Steve. But with Steve’s nightly routine, which Billy learns because he starts making tea regularly, Billy feels like things click more.

So Billy starts making another cup of tea. Makes sure his footfalls plod loudly down the hall. Sits with Steve until the sun comes up and they’re both sleepy and Steve whispers a soft thank you right before Billy falls asleep on the couch. He wakes up with a soft quilt over him.

Things get easier after that. Billy’s not as biting, even if he still doesn’t take it easy on Steve. Steve gets used to the sound of Billy moving in the house and doesn’t freak out whenever Billy shows up in the living room. Billy stares outside with him, slowly sipping their tea together.

Billy only asks about Nancy’s friend once.

“Her name was Barb. I was… a total asshole. Too wrapped up in Nancy. She was alone out back and.”

The pool lights flicker over Steve’s face in an eerie blue-green light. Billy reluctantly admits, only to himself, how pretty Steve looks. Despite the dark circles under his eyes, despite his lack of fashion sense, despite the stupid way he comments on things he only half-understands.

Steve’s… kind of pretty.

Billy’s getting better every day. And six months into living with Steve, Billy thinks he could probably get a place for himself. Get out of Steve’s perfectly styled hair. Maybe find someone more attainable.

Billy brings it up one evening when they’re sitting in the kitchen. Drinking their tea together. “I’m thinking about moving out. Get my own place.”

Steve freezes next to him. Turns to look at Billy, and Billy doesn’t know what Steve’s eyes are trying to tell him. They’re searching his, dark chocolate boring into Billy’s ocean blue.

“Stay,” Steve whispers. Billy frowns, opens his mouth to ask something, but—

But Steve’s leaning in and presses their lips together in a soft kiss.

“Stay.”


End file.
